PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dean Martin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jorge Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jorge Cruz has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Dean Martin 's chin.

Martin
vs
Cruz

195 cm
23
282 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

215 cm
24
225 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Crippler's Corner

Malicious Intent Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dean Martin !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jorge Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Chris Downing and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch combination from Cruz misses.

Martin gets a takedown into half guard.
Martin lands strikes from half guard.
Martin stops Cruz from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cruz is trying to escape back to his feet but Martin uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Martin has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Cruz is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Martin has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Check out the look on Martin 's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Cruz wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Martin scores with punches from side control.
Martin lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cruz tries to escape but Martin is in control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cruz sneaks out the side door and pushes Martin away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.

Martin shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Martin working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Cruz wants to stand but Martin is controlling the position.
Martin working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Martin 's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Martin working some strikes from top position.
Cruz is wriggling around but Martin manages to pass to half guard.
Martin slips a nice elbow through Cruz's hands, connecting with Cruz's forehead.
Cruz is trying to escape back to his feet but Martin uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Martin has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Cruz!
Cruz looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Cruz is bucking up trying to escape but Martin cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
BOOM! Martin connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Cruz is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Martin won't let Cruz get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Martin is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Cruz can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Cruz is trying to stand up.
The referee warns Cruz that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Martin won't let Cruz get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Cruz can do anything to dispel that myth.
Martin lands a big elbow.
Cruz wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Martin lands with some strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is squirming around, avoiding Martin 's attempts to control the action.
Martin has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Cruz's face.
Martin connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Cruz wants to get back to his feet.
Cruz really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Martin . If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Martin with good strikes from the mount here!
Cruz is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Martin lands a big shot there that rocks Cruz but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Martin trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Cruz is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Martin working the ground and pound effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martin working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Cruz is in a horrible position here. Martin smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Martin postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Cruz looks a forlorn figure.
A nice elbow there by Martin .
Martin working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Cruz is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Martin working the ground and pound effectively.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
The referee warns Cruz that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Cruz tries to buck Martin off but he can't manage it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dean Martin dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cruz throws a good cross that connects.
A combination from Cruz does no damage.

Martin closes the distance and clinches.
Cruz wants to break free but Martin has control.
Martin looking to slow down the pace here.
Cruz is trying to break free.
Martin is stalling here.
Martin keeps control of Cruz as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Martin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cruz can do to turn this around?

Martin has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Cruz clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Cruz has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Martin lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Cruz.
Cruz is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Cruz is breathing heavily.
Martin scores with punches from the back.
Martin softening up his opponent with strikes here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz is trapped and Martin is scoring with shots to the head and body.
Martin landing with strikes.
Cruz is trying to get back to his feet but Martin has full control of the position and if anything, Cruz has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Martin is landing with strikes from the back.
Cruz controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Martin lands a shot to the body.
Martin loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Cruz hold on?
Cruz is trying to get back to his feet but Martin has full control of the position and if anything, Cruz has just worked his way into a worse spot.
A lull in the action here.
Cruz wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin lands a punch to the side of the head from the back.
Martin lands a shot to the head.
Martin is landing with strikes from the back.
Martin lands a shot to the head.
Cruz holding both Martin 's hands and preventing any damage.
Martin scores with punches to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martin lands punches and elbows.
Cruz is trying to get back to his feet but Martin has full control of the position and if anything, Cruz has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Martin connects with a big shot to the side of Cruz's head.
Cruz wants to get back to his feet.
Martin is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Cruz is taking damage to the body and head.
Martin lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Martin lands strikes to the head.
Cruz trying to get back to his feet but Martin is in full control for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martin wants to control but Cruz is keeping busy.
Cruz is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Martin scores with punches from the back.
Martin is landing with strikes from the back.
Martin cracks Cruz with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Cruz from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
Martin is punishing Cruz with strikes - can he finish him?!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Martin scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
Cruz holding both Martin 's hands and preventing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dean Martin dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Cruz throws a right hand that Martin ducks under and follows up with a left that Martin also avoids with ease.
Jorge Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Martin closes the distance and clinches.
Martin has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Cruz is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Cruz wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Martin has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Cruz is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Martin drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dean Martin . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cruz is trying to break the clinch but Martin has him pressed against the cage.

Cruz breaks from the clinch.
Cruz scores with a jab.

Cruz tries to keep at a distance but Martin has taken the fight into the clinch.
Cruz wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Cruz is trying to break free.
Cruz wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Martin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Martin tries to close the distance and clinch but Cruz swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cruz looks to land a right hand but Martin moved out of range.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cruz scores with a nice right hand.

Martin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Cruz as Martin tries to tie him up.

Cruz manages to break the clinch.
Martin gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
A punch combination from Cruz misses.
Jorge Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Some wild striking there from Cruz.
Cruz is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.

Martin shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Martin not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Cruz is trying to stand back up but Martin is controlling him
Nice strikes from Martin there.
Martin landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Martin stops Cruz from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Cruz pushes Martin off looking to stand but Martin dives back in and keeps control.
Martin is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
A jab from Cruz finds it's way through Martin 's defenses.
Some wild striking there from Cruz.

Martin darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Martin is nestled in close to Cruz, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Martin prevents Cruz from standing back up.
Ground and pound from Martin .
Cruz is trying to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martin slips a nice elbow through Cruz's hands, connecting with Cruz's forehead.
Martin lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Martin stops Cruz from getting back to his feet.
Martin scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Cruz connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Martin 's hands.
Martin tries to clinch up.
Martin moves away from the strike by Cruz.
A punch combination from Cruz misses.
Cruz throws a right and a left that Martin avoids nicely.

Martin closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Martin is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Martin keeps control of Cruz as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Cruz wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Martin is pushing Cruz up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Jorge Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Cruz wants to get back to striking at distance but Martin won't allow it.
Cruz wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Martin effectively controlling the action here.
Martin looking for a takedown.
Dean Martin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cruz tries to break the clinch but Martin is controlling the position.
Cruz wants to break free but Martin has control.
Cruz has had enough of the clinch but Martin keeps him there for the moment.
Martin has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Cruz avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Cruz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A left and a right from Cruz both land. Nice combination.

Martin has managed to clinch.
Cruz is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Martin prevents Cruz from breaking the clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Martin takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Cruz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jorge Cruz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Martin has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:27
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:27
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dean Martin !